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India vs New Zealand, 1st Test 2016 Highlights, Day 4: Ravindra Jadeja’s fencing skills, Ravichandran Ashwin’s 200th and other highlights

Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. How often we hear these names when India play Tests at home? After two disappointing days, India came back strong on Day Three and further firmed grip on Day Four as they eye a win against New Zealand in the first Test,

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Ravindra Jadeja shows fencing skills after his fifty. (Screen grab)
Ravindra Jadeja shows fencing skills after his fifty. (Screen grab)

Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. How often we hear these names when India play Tests at home? After two disappointing days, India came back strong on Day Three and further firmed their grip on Day Four as they eye a win against New Zealand in the first Test of the series, also their landmark 500th Test. India are six wickets away from another win at home. India, who resumed the day at 159 for 1, declared their innings at 377 for 5, setting New Zealand a target of 434. Overnight batsmen, Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara fell for 76 and 78 respectively. Though Virat Kohli failed to make an impact, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja struck half-centuries, before Ravichandran Ashwin went on to register another marvellous feat. Looking back at another eventful day, Suvajit Mustafi presents you with the highlights.

Santner’s ‘Jadeja’ moment: Vijay looked set for a hundred. He had batted too well for that. Batting on 76, Vijay received two brilliant deliveries from Mitchell Santner. The first one turned sharp, squared him up and kissed the outside edge but Vijay survived. Then he played a Mitchell Santner slider for turn and paid with his wicket. Vijay was reluctant to leave the ground as he thought he had a piece of bat to it. He did but only after it struck his front pad.

Mitchell Santner is often perceived as New Zealand‘s answer to Ravindra Jadeja for their identical roles. Jadeja relies on his sliders to claim wickets, Santner claimed Vijay in same fashion.

Vijay dismissed

Umpire Rod Tucker got this spot on. Meanwhile, let us just take our hats off to the umpires, who get decisions like these correct when the ball is turning square. And remember, there is no DRS!

Kohli runs out of patience: Indian skipper Virat Kohli walked in next. Sunday morning, Virat Kohli at the crease, does it not sound like an ideal combination for a fan? With his impeccable consistency, Kohli made winning games look like a walk to your grocery store. However that was with the white ball. When the ball goes red, the same walk turns to be a bumpy ride. It is not that Kohli lacks technique. It is more to do with consistency.

He had all the time to script a big knock on Day Four but he ran out of patience. His stay at the crease was scratchy and looking to sweep one, he top-edged to deep mid-wicket, in turn giving Mark Craig his 50th Test wicket.

kohli-out

Kohli knew his mistake the moment he struck that. He was very disappointed.

Sodhi, finally gets it right: The leg-spinner Ish Sodhi who created a havoc in the Indian line-up during the ICC World T20 earlier this year, struggled big time in Kanpur. Indian batsmen feasted on him and he was expensive.

Pujara was set for a ton, Sodhi pitched one outside leg, Pujara tried to reach his foot to the line and play a forward defence but the revs on the ball beat the batsman, took the outside edge on its way to Ross Taylor at first slip.

pujara-out

Wouldn’t Shane Warne be proud of that?

Rohit is here to stay: ‘Ro-hit… Ro-hit…’ The chants were clear when Rohit Sharma walked in to bat. The mention of Rohit brings out extreme emotions. Already a legend in limited-overs, Rohit’s fortunes have been a stark contrast in Tests. He has fans, he has detractors but honestly, Rohit was lucky to play this Test.

He threw it away after getting to 35 in the first innings but made it count in the second by stroking an attractive 68 not out from just 93 balls.

 

His 100-run unbeaten stand with Jadeja put India in further strong position.

Conditions claim Watling: Being a wicketkeeper is a tough job. It takes a huge toll on your back. BJ Watling has come a long way from being a part-time ‘keeper to one of the best wicketkeeper-batsmen in contemporary cricket but subcontinent conditions can be testing.

Few diving attempts led to some cuts and bruises but the humidity claimed him. He was having back problems too and sweating profusely. New Zealand decided that Luke Ronchi will take on the big gloves. In the last few balls of the Indian innings, Ronchi kept wickets as Watling went out. It is good to have two specialist keepers in your side, isn’t it?

The moment of the day: India’s lead was way past 400 but Kohli still decided to not declare. Jadeja, who missed a Test fifty in the first innings, was given an opportunity to get to the landmark. On reaching there, he displayed his trademark sword-fencing celebrations. The last time we saw him do that was with a real sword, during his wedding earlier this year.

And in cricket, he did it when he last scored a fifty in Tests but that was at Lord’s, back in 2014. However, his moment of glory was short-lived as Kohli with a smile on his face mimicked his style and declared. Of course all that was in good spirit.

Guptill dilemma: Kapil Dev was a bit upset that India did not declare much before the Tea break as he felt the hosts could have taken the fatigue of New Zealand openers to their advantage. Perhaps, Kohli may have derived confidence from the sight of Guptill in the opposition camp. The New Zealand opener came, he did not conquer as usual and went back. This time for nought. Guptill’s poor run in Test cricket continues and until his shortcomings with the red cherry is sorted, New Zealand will continue to struggle. Guptill tried to sweep one, got an inside edge on to his pad before the ball lobbed to Vijay at silly point. Tom Latham soon followed him.

Umesh drops Williamson, Shami joins the protest: In the 14th over of the innings that was being bowled by Ashwin, Williamson went for a sweep but Umesh Yadav could not judge it well and dropped the New Zealand captain much to the angst of skipper Kohli and Ashwin. Couple of balls later, Mohammed Shami misfielded one at mid-on as the ball travelled to the boundary. Perhaps, the fast bowlers were protesting the lack of overs given to them.

Ashwin’s 200th wicket: One of the highlights of the series was always going to be the contest between Williamson and Ashwin. Williamson won the contest on Day Two, Ashwin then produced a ripper to dismiss him the next day and now the Indian off-spinner clearly dominated the proceedings. Williamson trying to attack looked in discomfort and Ashwin produced a similar delivery like first innings to dismiss the Kiwi skipper, once again.

Williamson became Ashwin’s 200th Test wicket. He became the second fastest to the milestone in terms of matches behind Australia’s Clarrie Grimmett.

 

Ashwin picked up three wickets but Jadeja bowled 14 overs and sent down 10 maidens.

Common sense, Ross! Taylor has not been scoring enough runs against quality oppositions. Here, he got his eye in and managed to get to a scratchy 17 but his mode of dismissal surprised all. He was run out to a Umesh Yadav direct hit. Though he had made his ground he committed the sin of not grounding it. How could you do that Ross?

taylor-out

(Suvajit Mustafi consumes cricket for lunch, fiction for dinner and munches numerous other snacks throughout the day. Yes, a jack of several trades, all Suvajit dreamt of was being India’s World Cup winning skipper but ended up being a sports writer, author, screenwriter, director, copywriter, graphic designer, sports marketer, strategist, entrepreneur, philosopher and traveller. Donning so many hats, it’s cricket which gives him the ultimate high and where he finds solace. He can be followed at @RibsGully and rivu7)

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